'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Posted on: February 24, 2012 1:51 pm

Edited on: February 24, 2012 2:27 pm

PHOENIX -- Ryan Braun was forceful, emotional and relieved during a 23-minute session with reporters here Friday in his first public comments since his positive performance-enhancing drug test was leaked in December and since he was exonerated and had a potential 50-game suspension overturned by an arbiter on Friday.

Some highlights from his 13-minute opening statement:

• "This was the biggest challenge I've ever faced in my life."

• "I've tried to respect the process even though the confidentiality of the process was breeched early on> I've tgried to handle the situation with honor, with integrity, with class, with dignity and with professionalism because that's who I am and that's how I've always lived my life. If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally, I'd be the first one to step up and say, 'I did it.' By no means am I perfect. But if I've ever made mistakes in my life, I've taken responsibility for my actions. I truly believe in my heart and would bet my life that the substance never entered my body at any point."

• "I've always had tremendous respect for the game of baseball. ... I've put the best interests of the game ahead of the best interests of myself. And that hasn't been easy. There were a lot of times when I wanted to come out and tell the entire story and attack everybody as I've been attacked, as my name's been dragged through the mud, as everything I've ever worked for in my entire life has been called into question. There were a lot of times I wanted to tell the entire story but at the end of the day I recognized what's best for the game of baseball, and I put that ahead of what was best for myself."

• "I could have never, ever envisioned being in this position today discussing this subject. ... I learned a long time ago to stop questioning life. I believe that everything that's thrown at us, there's a reason for. I've yet to figure out exactly what the reason for this is, but I don't question that."

• "I've always stood up for what it right. Today's for everybody who has ever been wrongly accused, and for everybody who's ever had to stand up for what is right."

• "In spite of the fact that there have been many inaccurate, erroneous and completely fabricated stories about this issue, I've maintained the integrity of the confidentiality of the process. There's never been a personal medical issue, I've never had an STD [sexually-transmitted disease], many of the stories that were erroneously reported by the intial network [were wrong], and it's sad and it's disappointing that this has become a PR battle and people continue to leak information that's inaccurate."

• "We won because the truth is on my side. The truth is always relevant, and at the end of the day the truth prevailed. I'm a victim of a process that failed in the way that it was applied to me in this case. As players, we're held to a standard of 100 percent perfection regarding the program, and everybody associated with that program should be held to the same standard. We're a part of a process where we're 100 percent guilty until proven innocent. ... if we're held to that standard, it's only fair that everybody else is held to that exact same standard."

• "This is my livelihood, my integrity, my character, this is everything I've ever worked for in my life being called into question. We need to make sure we get it right. If you're going to be in a position where you're 100 percent guilty until being proven innocent, you cannot mess up."

• Braun said he was tested on Oct. 1, following Game 1 of the NL Division Series against Arizona in Milwaukee, and was made aware that he had tested positive on Oct. 19. At that point, he said, he had a conversation with representatives from the Players' Assn. "I expressed to them that I have not done anything that could have led to this test result. I told them, 'I promise you on anything that's ever meant anything to me in my life, the morals, the virtues, the values by which I've lived in my 28 years on this planet, I did not do this. I told them I would be an open book. I opened up my life to them. I told them I'd be willing and happy to take any test to prove to them I did not do this."

• "At the end of the day, I know the truth. My friends, family, teammates, the Milwaukee Brewers organization and everybody who knows me knows the truth. At the point that I told the Players' Assn. about the positive test, they told me that the results were three times higher than any number in the history of drug testing."

• "At that point I was able to prove to them through contemporaneously documented recordings that I literally didn't gain a single pound. When we're in Milwaukee, we weigh in once or twice a week. Our times are recorded every time we run down the line, first to third, first to home, I literally didn't get one tenth of a second faster. My workouts have been virtually the exact same for six years. I didn't get one percent stronger, I didn't work out more often, I didn't have any additional power or any additional arm strength. All of those things are documented ... if anything had changed, I wouldn't be able to go back and pretend like they didn't change."

• "I explained I'm 27 years old, I'm just entering my prime, I have a guaranteed contract for nine years, I've been tested over 25 times in my career, at least three times this season prior to this test, and an additional time when I signed my contract including an extensive physical, a blood test, everything you can imagine. ... They said, 'That's great, we believe you, the other side believes you, none of this makes any sense to anybody.'"

• "I want everybody to ask themselves this question: If you guys went to go get a physical, something you've done 20, 25 other times in your life, and three weeks later they came back and said you were terminally ill with a disease and it made no sense to you. You said I feel perfectly fine, nothing's different than it's ever been, this doesn't make any sense, and you look back at the process and you find that your doctor decided to take a urine sample home for a 44-, 48-hour period, and there's no documentation as to what happened, you don't know if he decided to leave it in the trunk of his car, where it could have been or what could have potentially happened to it during that period of time, I assure you that you would never go back to that doctor, and you would demand a re-test."

• "Ultimately as I sit here today, the system worked because I was innocent and I was able to prove my innocence."

• "I can't get into many details of the process because it's supposed to be confidential, and because of ongoing litigation, and because I'm considering all of my legal options, there may be some questions I can't answer."

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Now I would love to hear all these people who are chastising him, and saying he is a cheater and a liar without a doubt to please state your evidence to such a claim. They are absolutely ridiculous

The evidence -- two samples, taken with witnesses. Both sealed with numbered, tamper proof tape, Braun signs statment that sealed in his presence and numbers on tape match numbers on form Braun is signing. Samples place in plastic sample bag (numbered) and then in sample shipping box and again sealed with tamper proof numbered seal. Sample A tests positive. Sample B tests positive. (this is from various articles and statment of sample collector reprinted on this sight). Two positive tests -- does not necessarily say "cheater" (at least not intentional) or "liar" but is certainly substantial evidence of a violation of the drug policy.

Evidence for Braun -- Sample was not sent to lab same day collected -- was collected on a Saturday but no nearby Fed Ex location that could be reached for Sat or Sunday delivery. Per policy, collector retained possession of samples rather than leave at Fed Ex facility until Monday. Test on October 19 --18 days later, was normal.

That's it -- no proof of contamination or any "mishandling" of or "tampering" with the numbered sample. Also, to believe the sample was affected by the delay, or intentionally by the collector, you have to believe (1) the same delay did not affect the other samples in the box and/or (2) the collector, for some unknown, unstated and unproven reason, singled out only Braun's samples and added synthetic testosterone to them.

Based on all of the above, I don't think its "ridiculous" to believe Braun, whether intentionally or not, violated the drug policy by ingesting a banned substance. Braun is very lucky, in my opinion, to have avoided the 50 game suspension.

Since: Mar 5, 2008

Posted on: February 28, 2012 2:08 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Why are people so narrow minded? Can't anyone read between the lines and assertain that this isn't over? There are many facets to this case, as you all will find out in the future. What people fail to realize is the only thing Braun had to prove was a chain of custody issue and create reasonable doubt. This is how our justice system was built. It's part of democracy. Word has it that Braun's camp was prepared to defend him with alot of the information that people want to hear to truly exonerate him but it wasn't needed and the rest will play out over time. There is word of a criminal investigation behind the scenes. DNA testing is being done but was said to be shot down as part of this investigation. Not to mention the HIPAA ramifications and the lawsuits that are likely to follow. Ever heard of HIPAA? They are the federal privacy laws and those, along with MLB privacy laws, should have been enough to keep all the uninformed, idiot masses from knowing or commenting on anything. Oh, that's right... we are in the age of "Reality" where people want to know everything and then beat down people based on the little information they can get. To all the people who can't see their head from a hole in the ground... whether you like it or not you are part of these masses.

Since: Feb 26, 2012

Posted on: February 26, 2012 12:46 am

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

this system is designed to guarantee that the sample comes from Braun - that's why the administrator is there. So Braun's only recourse is to suggest that the administrator might have tampered with the sample. This is right out of the OJ Simpson playbook - go for the only excuse available, no matter how implausible it might be. the administrator watches Braun pee into a bottle and seals the cap - and its invalid because its not immediately tested?

what do you really want - Braun to piss right into the machine that test for testosterone? even then, according to his twisted logic, wouldnt you still need a dna test to make sure its Braun??

this is the kind of convoluted story that criminals and con men tell.

Since: Oct 25, 2007

Posted on: February 25, 2012 5:06 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Right, leaving the sample in the trunk of your car is going to elevate the level of testosterone in the sample. Please. If he's so innocent why didn't he deny the test results in the hearing, why did his defense rest on the technicality of the (sealed) sample being held 48 hours before being forwarded to the lab? Artificial testosterone is like vitamin C, you can mega dose yourself with it and three or four days later no one would be able to tell you had taken it. His timing was unlucky and he got caught, there's no other plausibe explanation for the test results.

Since: Sep 20, 2006

Posted on: February 25, 2012 3:05 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Wow look at all these haters.

(1)Matt Kemp blah blah, Drew Brees had MVP numbers and lost to Arron Rodgers because Rodgers played on a team with a better record. I do not here Saints fans crying or Pats fans for that matter looking at Brady's numbers. (Patriot fans will cry about anything)(jk)

(2) Baseball wanted Braun to be cleared. Yeah, the statement they released sure sounded like MLB is overjoyed by this.

We were not supposed to even know he failed the test until today so I guess it gave everybody a way to talk all winter over nothing. I am glad to see this go through for Ryan not only cause I'm a Brewers fan but because it goes to show MLB that there are problems with their testing program and maybe they will go out and fix them.

I know there are many other cynical responses to Braun's guilt and whatever the case maybe he was found innocent, even though 80% percent of the comments from day one said he was guilty

I am glad to live in America where you're guilty until proven innocent and even then you're still guilty once you're found innocent.

Can we all just get passed this now and actually enjoy the season?

Since: Nov 18, 2006

Posted on: February 25, 2012 11:07 am

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Lets hear your evidence that he is innocent tool. He tested positive and got off because the sample that the seal was no broken on, was held to long before it was turned in. Why would someone tamper with his sample? Why would they do that? They wouldn't. He tested positive that is a fact. He got off on a technicality that is also a fact. deal with it tool

Since: May 17, 2007

Posted on: February 24, 2012 5:30 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Suing is one way Braun can get even.But what he wants is for people to believe he is a good guy, honest, all the stuff he said in the news conference.About half the people already believe that, about half the rest don't believe that and the others aren't sure.I know that if he hits a home run against my Reds pitchers, the reason probably is because the pitching sucked, not because of Braun's elevated testosterone levels.

Since: Mar 4, 2008

Posted on: February 24, 2012 4:52 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

if i were Ryan i would sue the hell out of everyone involved, his name and reputation have been tarnished and some of you will never believe he could be innocent of all that has happened . i dont know and you dont know either as we weren`t there to see what happened pre test and during the testing .... i can only hope that all you all get accused of something you didn`t do and try to clear your name . well ryan good luck i guess in someways itsuks2bu

Since: Feb 4, 2010

Posted on: February 24, 2012 4:18 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

Now I would love to hear all these people who are chastising him, and saying he is a cheater and a liar without a doubt to please state your evidence to such a claim. They are absolutely ridiculous. The fact is that none of us know the truth, so we cannot say either way. Stop taking this so personal and get over yourselves. He won the appeal. Simple. He is not what is wrong with baseball. You would be defending yourself left and right if you were accused of something that you felt you were innocent of. I know for a fact many of you would be singing a different tune if something like this happened to someone you cared about. What if you were wrongly accused of a crime? Would you fight it? Would you be upset if people said you were guilty because you were around when said crime took place? Try and be reasonable and stop thinking you know everything when you know next to nothing.

Since: Mar 7, 2008

Posted on: February 24, 2012 4:16 pm

'Bet my life the substance never entered my body'

was there time for him to potentially clean up to the degree the second test was meaningless?

How do you "clean up" a prior test that the results were three times higher than any number in the history of drug testing? LOL

There is something very strange with the first test results. To those people labelling Braun now as a cheater you are not looking at all the facts objectively. Get all the facts before you label Braun anything. Innocent or cheater, get all the facts.

I am not saying he is innocent and we may never know the truth. I am just saying that there are some very strange events and results that took place in the first test that should not be overlooked. However you interpret those facts is up to you as an individual but get the facts before you label someone.